{"id":277214,"date":"2024-06-21T09:28:37","date_gmt":"2024-06-21T13:28:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entelechy.app\/?p=277214"},"modified":"2024-06-21T09:28:37","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T13:28:37","slug":"top-bureaucrat-sacked-over-gaza-academic-freedom-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entelechy.app\/top-bureaucrat-sacked-over-gaza-academic-freedom-controversy\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Bureaucrat Sacked Over Gaza Academic Freedom Controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"
In a shocking move, the Israeli government has dismissed a top bureaucrat amid a growing controversy over academic freedom<\/a> in Gaza. The official, who served as the head of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), was let go following intense criticism over the agency’s handling of a recent incident involving a Gaza-based academic.<\/p>\n The controversy began when a Palestinian professor from Gaza was denied permission to attend an academic conference in the West Bank, sparking outrage among human rights<\/a> groups and academics worldwide. The COGAT, responsible for coordinating Israeli government activities in the occupied territories, was accused of stifling academic freedom and restricting the movement of Gaza-based scholars.<\/p>\n The sacked bureaucrat, who had been in the position for over five years, was seen as a key figure in the Israeli government’s policy towards Gaza. However, his agency’s handling of the academic’s case drew widespread condemnation, with many accusing COGAT of prioritizing security concerns over the rights of Palestinians to pursue education and research.<\/p>\n